


maybe this time

by sadonmain



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, DreamSMP, Minecraft (Video Game), Tales From The SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Demon Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Dream Team SMP Angst (Video Blogging RPF), Gen, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Non-Graphic Violence, Post-Manberg-Pogtopia War on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF), Short One Shot, Time Travel, i love warden!sam, karl pays dream a lil visit, prison arc dream smp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:22:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28974294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadonmain/pseuds/sadonmain
Summary: Karl did everything he could to alter this timeline. But what's meant to be will be. Dream makes sure of it.That was enough to set Dream off. He pushed Karl against a wall, knocking the clock down while knocking the wind out of Karl’s chest. He expected this. He’d had several confrontations with Dream over the millennia. “What? Are you scared now? Haven’t seen this timeline yet?” Sneering above him, Dream grabbed Karl’s chin, forcing it upwards. “Look at me! I’m harmless!” A maniacal laugh escaped Dream’s lips. He leaned in closer, muttering, “Do you really think I’d hurt you? When you’re so full of information?"--inspired by tales from the smp
Relationships: Clay | Dream & Karl Jacobs
Comments: 4
Kudos: 91
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	maybe this time

**Author's Note:**

> tales from the smp, am i right?
> 
> reading everyone's theories on twitter made my brain go brr, so here we are lol

The journey to the prison was long. Karl’s shoulders ached; his eyes felt heavy as Sam went through yet another security check. “I promise, I don’t have any items on me.”

Sam glanced skeptically at Karl through his mask. “You understand why I have to check.” 

Karl sighed as he lifted his arms again. “Yeah, I know. But you also know me.”

For whatever reason, Sam didn’t seem too convinced. 

“Eyes forward,” Sam reminded him. The lava was bright and burned Karl’s eyes. Shutting them tight, he sighed, trying not to lose his balance. 

***

“I wondered when you’d show up.”

Sam had confiscated Dream’s mask when he had been placed into his cell, so his tanned face had an embarrassingly pale semi-circle around the upper half. 

Karl fidgeted with his hoodie sleeves. There was no stopping the inevitable. “I’m… sorry that it ended up this way, Dream.” The words fell out of Karl’s mouth haltingly, attempting a last-ditch effort at climbing back into his mouth before leaving. “There was no other way.”

Dream chuckled, looking at Karl from above one of his books. “I know. I’m not mad.” He stretched, the contents of the book becoming visible for a split second -- _The Story of Sapnap_ . A familiar pit of dread began to form in Karl’s stomach. He hoped that by adjusting this timeline, this wouldn’t happen. _I guess it’s inevitable,_ Karl thought. Adjusting his stance, Karl took a starting breath, but Dream cut him off.

“Let’s cut to the chase, _time travel boy_ .” Dream sneered at Karl, almost daring him to deny it. Karl said nothing. He knew this was coming. “You know who I am, what I am. So there’s no need to tread lightly around me. I’ve been around, I’ve _seen_ you before, and I know you’ve seen me. But I’m limited to this,” Dream gestured at the prison cell surrounding him. Karl didn’t move a muscle. 

Dream stood up, tossing his book aside. He was toe-to-toe with Karl, towering over him. Whatever shrinking violet persona he had put on for Sam was long gone. It was just the two of them. Karl was intimidated, Dream knew it. This meeting had only a few paths it could follow, and the possibilities were shrinking fast. “Tell me what happened in the other timelines. I might be what I am, but I experience things real-time.” Taking a half-step back, Dream spread his outstretched arms, a demonic smile growing on his face. “Share with the class, Karl!”

Karl wanted to run. He wanted to tell Dream that it was pointless. That knowing the future didn’t make it any easier when the day came. If anything, being aware just made it that much harder to tell your loved ones you hated them, that you didn’t remember them, that you didn’t want anything to do with them. His eyes welled with tears, his face hot with frustration. Looking firmly at the ground and with the resolve of someone who had seen too much, known too much, he said, “No.”

That was enough to set Dream off. He pushed Karl against a wall, knocking the clock down while knocking the wind out of Karl’s chest. He expected this. He’d had several confrontations with Dream over the millennia. “What? Are you scared now? Haven’t seen this timeline yet?” Sneering above him, Dream grabbed Karl’s chin, forcing it upwards. “Look at me! I’m harmless!” A maniacal laugh escaped Dream’s lips. He leaned in closer, muttering, “Do you really think I’d hurt you? When you’re so full of information?”

Karl glanced away. There was no denying it, he was trapped. He had no choice. Another timeline, down the drain. Dream let go of Karl, letting him slump to the floor. He turned away, picking up his book again. As he knelt, he paused. “This cell was supposed to be for you. But I guess you already knew that.” Karl nodded wordlessly, hanging the clock back up on the wall. 

In other timelines, he had been too careless. He joked around a little too fondly with Quackity and Sapnap and spoke about state secrets he shouldn’t have been privy to. With great bravado, Dream would declare Pandora’s Vault the only fitting place for a criminal and liar such as Karl. He had hoped that Dream’s imprisonment would save the timeline, but it was evident that what was meant to be was happening, regardless of Karl’s meddling. 

***

Leaving Dream’s cell, Karl felt empty. Never had he felt so hollow, so dejected. Dream had started writing the books; it was over. Sam said nothing as Karl stepped off the bridge. They shared a single wordless exchange. Through pained eyes, Karl poured his emotions into Sam’s. All the hurt, betrayal, and pain he’d felt across all timelines fell onto Sam’s lap. Everything Karl had been so afraid of feeling was there, wrapped neat and tidy for Sam to rip open. But he didn’t. Sam just nodded a small sign of support and handed Karl’s items back to him. 

He was alone again, another timeline ruined -- Dream knew everything. All Karl wanted to do was let go, to give up. He had tried over and over again to no avail. But a small voice inside kept him going. No matter how much of his memory he lost, that voice stayed with him. _Maybe this time._

Sure. Maybe this time. 

***

**Author's Note:**

> can't write anything that's happy, sorry  
> also can you tell i love the prison arc /lh
> 
> thanks for reading and for all the kudos/hits on the other works! maybe one day i'll build up the motivation to write something longer than like a page :/
> 
> @mxmranboob on twit, come say hi :D


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